Lobelia plant named &#39;SUNLOBE TOREHO&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Lobelia  plant named ‘Sunlobe Toreho’, characterized by its outwardly spreading plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; dense and bushy plant form; freely flowering habit; relatively large white-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

BOTANICAL DESIGNATION

Lobelia erinus

CULTIVAR DENOMINATION

‘SUNLOBE TOREHO’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Lobeliaplant, botanically known as Lobelia erinus and hereinafter referred toby the name ‘Sunlobe Toreho’.

The new Lobelia plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan. The objective ofthe breeding program is to create new outwardly spreading,freely-branching and bushy Lobelia plants with large attractive flowersand good garden performance.

The new Lobelia plant originated from an open-pollination in May, 2007of a proprietary selection of Lobelia erinus identified as code namedANB-LK, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknownselection of Lobelia erinus as the male, or pollen, parent. The newLobelia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a singleflowering plant within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in acontrolled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in June,2008.

Asexual reproduction of the Lobelia plant by vegetative cuttings inHigashiomi, Shiga, Japan since April, 2009 has shown that the uniquefeatures of this new Lobelia plant are stable and reproduced true totype in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Lobelia have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Sunlobe Toreho’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Sunlobe Toreho’ as a new and distinctLobelia plant:

-   -   1. Outwardly spreading plant habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely branching habit; dense and bushy plant form.    -   4. Freely flowering habit.    -   5. Relatively large white-colored flowers.    -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Lobelia differ primarily from plants of the femaleparent selection in flower color as plants of the female parentselection have sky blue-colored flowers with white-colored centers.

Plants of the new Lobelia can be compared to plants of Lobelia erinus‘Lobwhi’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 25,205. In side-by-sidecomparisons conducted in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, plants of the newLobelia differed from plants of ‘Lobwhi’ in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Lobelia were more outwardly spreading than        plants of ‘Lobwhi’.    -   2. Plants of the new Lobelia had larger leaves than plants of        ‘Lobwhi’.    -   3. Plants of the new Lobelia had larger flowers than plants of        ‘Lobwhi’.    -   4. Plants of the new Lobelia had longer pedicels than plants of        ‘Lobwhi’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Lobelia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the actualcolors of the new Lobelia plant. The photograph at the top of the sheetcomprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of‘Sunlobe Toreho’ grown in a container. The photograph at the bottom ofthe sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘SunlobeToreho’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used for the aforementioned photographs and following descriptionwere grown in 15-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Higashiomi,Shiga, Japan and under cultural practices typical of commercial Lobeliaproduction. During the production of the plants, day temperaturesaveraged 23° C. and night temperatures averaged 13° C. Plants were fourmonths old when the photographs and description were taken. In thefollowing description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Lobelia erinus ‘Sunlobe Toreho’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Lobelia            erinus identified as code name ANB-LK, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Lobelia            erinus, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer and winter.—About one week at            temperatures about 15° C. to 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer and            winter.—About three weeks at temperatures about 15° C. to            20° C.        -   Root description.—Fibrous; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; relatively dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Outwardly spreading plant habit;            freely branching habit with lateral branches developing at            potentially every node; dense and bushy plant habit;            vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 13 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 60 cm.        -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 36 cm. Diameter:            About 1.7 mm. Internode length: About 1.7 cm. Strength:            Strong, flexible. Aspect: Outwardly spreading. Texture:            Pubescent. Color: Close to 144A.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple; sessile.        -   Length.—About 4.3 cm.        -   Width.—About 1.8 cm.        -   Shape.—Elliptic to broadly lanceolate.        -   Apex.—Obtuse.        -   Base.—Cuneate.        -   Margin.—Shallowly crenate.        -   Texture, upper surface.—Slightly pubescent.        -   Texture, lower surface.—Pubescent.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:            Close to 144A; venation, close to 144C. Developing and fully            expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 144B; venation,            close to 144D.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement, habit and shape.—Flowers typically            arranged in terminal and lateral racemes; flowers face            mostly outwardly to slanting downward; freely flowering            habit with about eight flowers per inflorescence and about            280 flowers developing per plant; flowers bilabiate with two            upper petals and three larger lower petals.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—In Japan, plants of the new            Lobelia flower continuously from May until October; early            flowering habit, plants begin flowering about three to four            weeks after planting.        -   Flower longevity on the plant.—Longevity of individual            flowers is highly dependent on temperature, flowers            typically last about 10 to 14 days on the plant; flowers            persistent.        -   Inflorescence length.—About 11.2 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 8.3 cm.        -   Flower length.—About 2.1 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 2.5 cm.        -   Flower tube length.—About 9 mm.        -   Flower tube diameter.—About 5.3 mm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.4 cm. Diameter: About 5.1 mm.            Shape: Club-shaped. Color: Close to 145C.        -   Petals.—Arrangement: Single whorl of five petals fused            towards the base; two upper petals and three larger lower            petals. Upper petals: Length, beyond throat: About 9 mm.            Width: About 3.2 mm. Shape: Spatulate. Apex: Acute. Margin:            Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.            Lower petals: Length, beyond throat: About 9.7 mm. Width:            About 9.5 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Obtuse. Margin: Entire.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,            upper petals: When opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close            to NN155C. Fully opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to            NN155C; color does not change with development. Color, lower            petals: When opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to            NN155C. Fully opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to            NN155C; color does not change with development. Color,            throat, upper and lower petals: Close to NN155C; nectar            guides, close to 144C.        -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Single whorl of five sepals, fused at            the base; star-shaped calyx. Length: About 6.9 mm. Width:            About 1.2 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Margin:            Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.            Color: When opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close            to 137B. When opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close            to 137C.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 2.8 cm. Diameter: About 0.5 mm.            Strength: Strong, flexible. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.            Color: Close to 137B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five.            Stamen length: About 6.8 mm. Anther size: About 1.1 mm by            2.7 mm. Anther shape: Elliptic. Anther color: Close to            N199C. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 4D.            Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About            9.4 mm. Stigma shape: Bi-lobate. Stigma color: Close to 85C.            Style color: Close to 144C. Ovary color: Close to 144A.        -   Fruits and seeds.—Fruit and seed development have not been            observed on plants of the new Lobelia.-   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Lobelia have not been    noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Lobelia    plants.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Lobelia have been observed to    have good garden performance and to tolerate wind, rain and    temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 28° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Lobelia plant named ‘SunlobeToreho’ as illustrated and described.